From both of our proms being cancelled, to no spirit week, and the possibility of no in-person graduation, it has been a lot for the senior class of 2021 to fully grasp the reality of losing our senior year. To many of us, not being able to see our peers in almost a year, being quarantined in solitude, and opting out of hybrid learning, some might wonder how different we all would be once we step foot in school. Would we all be the best versions of ourselves since we have no mold we have to fit in now? Or would we all be so drastically different that we just can’t relate as one class anymore? One thing for sure with all that considered, our graduating senior class has most definitely changed for the better. Especially with all this time being alone to truly find ourselves.
“I’ve gotten a lot more mature and reflective. I’ve also learned that I sometimes need to take time for myself and it’s not selfish to focus on my own needs sometimes,” stated senior Eva Farroha. To add onto that note, senior Anjali Pulim stated that with all the time on her hand she started “external projects,” such as “opening a sticker shop and getting the opportunity to do art for singer-songwriter Katelyn Lapid.” Finally, with this time away from school, some seniors even said that they’ve felt more free since school was out. One senior went on to say with this newfound freedom, they’ve done different hobbies that they regularly wouldn’t have done.
On the other hand however, a lot of seniors have had issues with finding motivation since senioritis is now at an all time high. With this being said, this lack of motivation and social isolation has led to a lot of seniors’ mental health worsening since last year. As a result of this, a lot of our senior class feel more anxious and depressed than they had before quarantine. For some students, they’ve become less trusting of others and more socially isolated.
Personally, I’ve seen myself and so many of my friends grow for the better. Whether that be them finally coming to terms with a lot of things from the past, or seeking out a new direction in their future. Or perhaps even, them finally finding themselves, who they are, or what they represent and growing for the better from being alone for so long. This is why I wonder if when we go back to school, how the interactions between students will go since we all are drastically different. It’s safe to say that we all aren’t the same person we were back in March of 2020, so how will the past versions of us in people’s minds and the new versions of us coexist with each other? Will we all just completely outgrow each other?
With that being said, I think that this time away has prepared us for college and life outside of high school. That way, we all can start off with our newly found selves and be the best version of ourselves once we get to college and meet new people. Additionally, with a new environment, such as going off to college, it could help improve people’s mental health. However, because of this pandemic, many seniors and people in general have stated that their social skills have gone down the drain. As an effect, it makes it interesting to see how this social dynamic outside of high school will function and work.
Never-the-less, we all are the class of 2021 at the end of the day, no matter who or what we changed into. Whether that be a crystal enthusiastic, a stock market fanatic, a Minecraft addict, or stan Twitter advocate, we all will hopefully walk the stage in May and do what the Class of 2020 missed out on as improved, developed people.
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